COVID vaccines´ efficacy against severe disease in elderly found excellent
Published : 16 Mar 2022, 02:56
Updated : 16 Mar 2022, 02:59
The effectiveness of the Covid-19 vaccines used in Finland against severe Covid-19 is good after two doses and excellent after three doses in the elderly aged 70 years and above, said the Finnish Institute of Health and Welfare (THL) referring to a study.
The study conducted by the THL estimated the vaccine effectiveness against Covid-19 requiring hospitalization and intensive care, said the THL in a press release on Tuesday.
The study took into account the effect of age, presence of comorbidities and the recently emerged omicron variant.
The study found that the vaccine effectiveness against Covid-19-related hospitalization was initially 90 % after two doses. The effectiveness decreased slightly in the first six months after vaccination, but was still good three to six months after the second dose. After the third dose, the effectiveness increased to over 95 % and remained excellent for at least two to three months.
“In the study the omicron variant was observed to have little effect on the decline in vaccine protection, but the protection against severe disease caused by omicron remained excellent at 90–95 % after the third dose. The study indicates no cause for concern about a decline in vaccine protection against severe Covid-19 after three doses of the vaccine, but longer-term monitoring is needed.”, said Eero Poukka, medical specialist at THL.
The study also found that the vaccine effectiveness against severe Covid-19 is slightly lower among people with comorbidities and among people aged 80 years and above.
“We closely monitor the vaccine effectiveness through register-based analyses in order to improve the vaccination strategies. In the future, we will estimate vaccine effectiveness against deaths caused by Covid-19” said Ulrike Baum, statistician at THL.